Conveyer



June 3o, 1942.

J.,E. POINTQN IcorwFYER Filed Nov. 2e, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 June 30194Z- I J.' E. PoINToN 2,288,571

` coNvEYER Filed Nov. 26, 1940 2 sheets-she@ 2 Big5 1mg J5 2,1%,

N @W N Patented June 30, 1942 ooNvEYER John Edward Pointon,Peterborough, England assignor to Baker Perkins Incorporated, Saginaw,Mich.

Application November 26,

1940, Serial No.

367,269. In Great Britain November 13, 1939 3 Claims.

This invention relates to steel or wire mesh band oven and likeconveyors such as are used for baking biscuits. Endless steel bands forbiscuit ovens are made of special steel and are somewhat difficult tomanufacture. The better classes of steel band at present used in thiscountry are of foreign manufacture.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a steel bandoven conveyor which is relatively simple to manufacture and which avoidsthe necessity of employing special steels or special processes ofmanufacture for the production of an endless steel band of considerablelength which can be tracked, accurately under working conditions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means wherebydifferent kinds of oven sole surfaces may be alternatively available inone and the same oven structure.

The invention consists in a composite band comprising a train ofelongated longitudinally flexible thin metal or mesh surface elements orsheets mounted to present a substantially uninterrupted conveying andbaking surface or sole.

According to one form the leading edge of each ed to permitaccommodating movement between the sheets and means intermediate theleading and trailing edges for supporting the sheets. The intermediatemeans may comprise projecting or transversely extending members disposedbeneath the body part or margins of the sheet.

The junction of the sheets is, as already indicated, preferably anoverlapping one and one margin of a junction may be recessed to receivethe other in order that the upper surface of the sheets may lie in thesame horizontal plane. In placing the biscuits on the sheets by aid ofacutting or cutting and embossing machine the panning means may beoperated to lay the biscuits so that no row coincides with a sheetjunction.k

Further features of the invention will be hereafter described anddefined in the claims.

In the accompanying Idiagrammatic drawings- Figure l is a perspectiveview of a composite band device` according to the invention,

Figure 2 is a cross section through a terminal end,

Figure 3 is a detail of the terminal drum,

Figures 4 and 5 are a plan and elevation of a part of the compositeband,

Figures 6 to 9 are views of details.

It is to be noted that the relative dimensions of the parts in thedrawings are not necessarily correct as certain parts are shownyrelatively larger for clearness.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient mode,as applied by way of example to an endless oven band for a biscuitbaking oven, a pair of spaced parallel endless chains IU is mounted uponterminal chain wheels I I and adapted to travel on horizontal guiderails in known manner. The space between the chains is adapted toreceive a series of long sheets of thin flexible steel, wire mesh, orthe like I2 laid and supported so that a substantially continuous ovensole is provided on the upper lap of the chains. The steel sheets I 2may suitably be of thin gauge and of a length of, say 5 to 10 feet ormore, but it is to be understood that these dimensions are not essentialand may be varied as required by conditions.

The head or leading end or margin of each sheet I2 is secured to thechains. This may be effected according to the form illustrated by deadeyes I3, the shanks I4 of which extend into ferrules or sleeves I5 ofthe chains Ill. The dead eyes I3 are bolted to the steel sheet I2.

As an alternative, inwardly facing links in appropriate positions oneach chain I0 may be provided with lugs or projecting brackets to whichthe forward corners of the sheets are attached as by pins and cotters orset screws or other fixing means. These sheet head deadeyes or lugs arespaced apart longitudinally of the chain a distance somewhat less thanthe length of a sheet I2 so that the trailing edge of one sheet slightlyoverlaps the head of the sheet next following and serves to present asubstantially continuous oven sole surface. On each chain and betweenthe head dead eyes or lugs, longitudinally spaced dead eyes I5 orinwardly projecting members, inthe form of channels or oppositely facingangle brackets, are provided so that slots are provided in which thelateral edges of the sheets are engaged with a View to supporting thebody portion of the sheets in position. These dead eyes I6 may be spacedat convenient distances for example, spacing equivalent to 2, 3, 4

'or other pitch of the chain according to the stiffness of the steelsheet I2. The dead eyes i6 are not secured to the sheet so as to allowfor relative movement between the dead eyes and the sheets.

Where it is desired to-provide additional body support for the sheets aguide rail may be positioned intermediate the chains and underneath thesheets of the upper lap of the conveyer, or a series of rollers may beprovided so that the sheets pass over these and are supported thereby asthey travel along the horizontal lap through the oven or, asillustrated, spaced stiffening cross bars I'I may be secured to thesheets on the reverse sides thereof.

At the turning points of the oven between the chain wheels II, drums I8are provided for guiding and supporting the steel sheets I9. These drumsare provided with grooves I9 to accommodate the cross bars I'I.

In order to retain the trailing edge of the sheet accurately in positionwith respect to the head f the next sheet, a slotted or channeled lugmay be provided immediately forward of the sheet head lugs or dead eyes,and with a View to avoiding the fixing means at the head of one sheetfouling the trailing edge of the preceding sheet, the leading edge ofthe sheet may project forwardly of its head lug a short distance sucientto receive and form a bed for the trailing edge. The trailing edges maylie on the leading edges of the sheets by a simple contact or they maybe secured thereto by countersunk studs engaging in slots or,alternatively, on the side margins at the head of a sheet upwardlyprojecting forwardly slotted or undercut members may be provided foraccommodating the lateral portions or corners of the preceding trailingedge of a sheet.

If desired, the leading and/or trailing edges may be stiffenedtransversely by an angle iron or bar, or in the case of the heads of thesheets by bending such at an angle downwardly or in U form.

The stiffening at the leading edge may be effected by a rod or bar 22,Fig. 8. This rod may project beyond the edges of the sheet and beutilised to hold the sheet on the chains by engagement in a socket piece23 having an opensided recess 24. The socket piece is provided with ashank 25 for engagement with the chain. The recesses 24 may be attenedto receive corresponding flattened ends of the bars 22 so as to preventthe sockets rotating.

If it be desired that the upper surface of the sheets at their junctionsshould lie accurately in one plane, the head margin of one sheet or theforwardly projecting portion thereof may be bent to form a rebate orrecess of a depth appropriate to the thickness of the trailing edge ofthe sheet. Alternatively, the recess may be formed in the thickness ofthe sheet or partly in the thickness of one sheet and partly in thethickness of the other.

According to another arrangement, the adjacent edges of the plates maysubstantially abut as shown in Fig. 9. The edges of the sheets areprovided with supporting tongues 20 projecting beyond the edges of eachsheet and adapted to lie beneath the other sheet. The tongues on eachpair of sheets alternate with one another and are spaced apart asuitable distance so that the necessary support is provided. The tonguesare curved to conform to the drum I8, and the surfaces of the latter maybe recessed or grooved to accommodate the tongues.

As a further alternative, the leading edge of each sheet may be locatedbeneath the trailing margin of the previous sheet, the latter beingprovided with a number of spaced clips engaging beneath said leadingedge.

The engagement or association of the sheets should be such that freeaccommodating adjustments can take place longitudinally with a view toallowing the sheets to slide relatively to the chain supports and oneanother in passing round the turning points from the upper lap to thelower lap or vice versa. The mounting should also be such that thesheets are free to expand and contract in the direction of their length.

In the above described example, the sheets may be located on the pitchline of the chains when the accommodation for movement at the turningpoints is not so essential, or the sheet may be located above or belowthe pitch line, and in some cases it may be found preferable to mountthe sheets upon the chains so that the sheets when viewed in plan coveror partly cover the Width of the chains.

'According to another mode, instead of mounting the sheets betweenchains their edges may be guided and supported on rails or in channelirons, while a single chain may be employed between the rails andunderneath the sheets to apply a drive thereto through lugs on the chainengaging projections on the underside of the sheets, which projectionsmay be in the form of bent angular portions projecting downwardly fromthe heads of the sheets. Alternatively, depending lugs on the sheetheads may engage the chain slots for driving purposes.

In order to render the sheets I D readily removable, instead of securingthe sheets to their head lugs or dead eyes by screws, rivets or thelike, apertures or keyhole or like slots may be formed in the sheetswhich are fitted over slotted or undercut pins or studs on the lugs.

Similarly, as illustrated in Figure 7, a turnbutton device 2I pivotallymounted on a horizontal bracket device secured to the chain may beprovided instead of the channels or dead eyes I6 to engage and supportthe sheets intermediate of the head lugs or dead eyes I3. Again, theengagement between the trailing edges of the sheets and the leadingedges may be in the form of keyhole slots and studs arranged at thesides or lateral portions of the sheets away from the area to beoccupied by the rows of biscuits.

In order to provide an oven which is adapted to receive either acomposite steel band or a wire mesh band, rollers are provided coaxialwith and between the chain wheels so that when it is not desired to usea steel band the steel sheets may be removed and a wire mesh band may beplaced around the rollers. Alternatively, a wire mesh band and acomposite steel band may be in position at the same time, in which casethe leading ends of the sheets may be secured to the meshes of the bandby clips, hooks or other fastening means, so that when it is desired touse the wire mesh band alone the sheets may be detached, while when thesteel band sole is required the sheets are reinstated and temporarilysecured to the wire mesh. In the case of the dual-purpose oven it may bepossible to dispense with the chains and chain wheels and use the wireband and rollers alone, the wire band being adapted to serve as aseating and conveyer to which the steel sheets are secured by temporaryfastening means.

According to another mode, instead of providing an endless wire meshband as an alternative sole to the impervious metal sheets I0, theselatter may be substituted by similar sheets of wire mesh the ends ofwhich may be reinforced by transverse metal bars, angle irons orU-shaped clamping strips, while the selvedge edges of the Wire aresupported in a similar manner to that described in reference to thesteel sheets. Where the upper surface of the wire is required to beplain from end to end the reinforcing or stiiening transverse membersmay lie beneath the wire mesh which is secured thereto by any suitableflush fixing means, or the Wire mesh may be bent around and secuned tothe transverse element below the plane of the wire.

It will be appreciated that an oven conveyer may be made according tothe invention either for impervious metal sheets or sheets or surfaceelements of wire mesh, although it will be more usual to provide an ovenconveyer adapted to receive alternatively either the impervious sheetsor the Wire mesh.

It is not essential in every baking plant that the trailing and leadingedges of the sheets should overlap or lie in contiguous relationship andsuch may be positioned with narrow spaces. In this case the panning gearwould be adjusted to skip the spaces and lay the dough shapes in batchesafter the manner in which a fixed pan conveyer oven is supplied withdough shapes. The trailing edges of the sheets may be held in slottedlugs or secured by studs engaging in slots or otherwise secured topreserve their position in the horizontal plane during transit throughthe oven.

I claim:

1. A composite band conveyer for bake ovens comprising endlesspower-driven chains, a plurality of longitudinally flexible elongatedmetal sheets fixed at their leading ends only to said chains to presenta continuous oven sole extending through the baking chamber, chainsprockets at the turning points of said chains and a rotatable drumarranged coaxially with the sprockets at each turning point to supportthe sheets and limit the radius to which they are bent in passing aroundsaid turning points, and means secured to the chains intermediate theleading ends of the sheets for slidably supporting the edges of saidsheets in the baking and return runs.

2. A composite oven band conveyer as claimed in claim 1 wherein themeans for slidably supporting the sheets comprise horizontal inwardlyprojecting bracket devices provided with turnbuttons or like means forreleasably guiding and holding the edges of the sheets.

3. A composite oven band conveyer as claimed in claim 1, wherein theleading margin of each sheet is rebated to receive the rear end of thepreceding sheet whereby the upper surfaces of the sheets lie in oneplane.

JOHN EDWARD POINTON.

